Friday, July 22, 2016

The UK Labour party is currently in the middle of a leadership contest between the choice of the parliamentary party and the choice of the members. Normally, you'd expect such a contest to be resolved by a vote. But UK Labour's MPs have pledged to force the membership to keep voting until they get it right:

Jeremy Corbyn’s critics warned that they will wage a “war of attrition” until they force him out of his job after he suggested that Labour MPs who refuse to back him could be sacked by local party activists.

Senior Labour MPs rejected Mr Corbyn’s plea to rally behind them if he defeats his challenger Owen Smith in the September leadership election. They told The Independent they are prepared to trigger another leadership election next year – and even a further contest the following year. Many of the MPs who have quit the Labour frontbench because they have no confidence in Mr Corbyn will not return if he defeats Mr Smith.

One former shadow Cabinet member said: “There will be a process of attrition. Most of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) will not serve under Jeremy. His position is untenable. The sooner he realises that, the better.” Another Labour MP said: “If we don’t win [the leadership] this year, we will do it again next year and, if necessary, the year after. At some point before the next general election, he will go. The only question is when.”

Which really makes mass de-selection of sitting MPs the only option. Parties belong to their members. And if MPs won't accept that, and announce that they will refuse to accept the decision of the membership, then they should be shown the door. It is that simple.